Releasable holddown means for curtains and the like

ABSTRACT

A holddown means for the side curtains of trailers, campers, and the like which includes an elongated tube-like member. Inside the tube-like member is a flexible member such as a small rope which has bights therein lying outside the tubular member and which are adapted to be placed over hooks or the like carried by the camper or other supporting structure for the curtain. A second flexible member has a bight also extending outside the tube-like member which when grasped and pulled outwardly causes slack to come in the bights of the first named flexible member which are to be placed over the hooks. Spring means resiliently urge the bights of the first named member toward closed or hook-engaging position.

United States Patent 1 Jolly 1 RELEASABLE I-IOLDDOWN MEANS FOR CURTAINS AND THE LIKE [76] Inventor: John T. Jolly, 41 16 Fourth Ave.,

Brighton, Ala. 35020 [22] Filed: June 7, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 477,365

[52] U.S. C1 24/203; 24/134 R; 52/23;

l60/349; 160/368 R; 254/198 [51] Int. Cl A44b 13/00 [58] Field of Search 160/279, 290, 349, 354,

160/368 R; 296/100; 52/23; 254/135 R, 141, 165, 198; 24/134 R, 134 A, 203, 204

[4 1 May 13,1975

2,937,700 5/1960 Gibbons 160/354 Primary Examiner--Peter M. Caun Attorney, Agent, or Firm--.1ennings, Carter & Thompson [57] ABSTRACT A holddown means for the side curtains of trailers, campers, and the like which includes an elongated tube'like member. Inside the tube-like member is a flexible member such as a small rope which has bights therein lying outside the tubular member and which are adapted to be placed over hooks or the like carried by the camper or other supporting structure for the curtain. A second flexible member has a bight also extending outside the tube-like member which when grasped and pulled outwardly causes slack to come in the bights of the first named flexible member which are to be placed over the hooks. Spring means resilward closed or hook-engaging position.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIEB RAY I 3!.975

SHEET 2 BF 2 RELEASABLE HOLDDOWN MEANS FOR CURTAINS AND THE LIKE This invention relates to an improved means for holding down the free ends, sides, or edges of curtains or the like such as may be employed on campers, trucks, etc.

An object of my invention is to provide a means for securing the free edges (either the lower or side edges) of curtains and the like to a supporting structure such as the framework of a camper and which embodies a tubular member having therein a flexible member with a plurality of bights lying on the outside of the tubular member, each adapted to be'hooked over a hook or the like, together with means inside the tubular member resiliently to urge the bights toward closed position, whereby the lower end of the curtain, which in turn carries the tube, may be secured.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character designated which shall be simple of construction and operation and which is equipped with a second flexible member having a bight lying outside thereof, whereby when it is desired to provide slack in the bights of the holddown flexible member, the bight of the second flexible member is grasped and pulled outwardly, thus putting slack in the bights of thefirst named member.

Apparatus illustrating features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevational view of a pickup truck, camper or the like having my invention applied to a side curtain thereof;

FIG. 2a is a vertical sectional view through one end of the tube-like member carried at the free or lower end of the curtain shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2b is a view corresponding to FIG. 2a and showing the right-hand end of said tubular member; and

FIG. 3 is a wholly diagrammatic view illustrating the method of reeving the holddown flexible member over the pulleys and the means for moving the pulleys toward each other.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention 1 show the same in association with the rear portion of a pickup truck indicated generally by the numeral 10. As will be understood, the truck has at its rear a roof portion 11 and a lower body 12.

The curtain 13 is secured along its upper edge 14 to the top 11 for the load carrying section of the truck. The lower body portion 12 of the truck carries a plurality of hook members 16 (four being shown) to which the lower or free end 13a of the curtain is to be secured thereby to prevent the wind from blowing the curtain outwardly and to prevent rain from entering therebeneath as is understood.

My invention comprises essentially the mounting in the lower end 13a of the curtain 13 of the hollow, elongated tube-like member and its associated mechanism which is indicated generally by the numeral 17. It will be understood that the member 17 may be carried in a sewn pocket at the lower end 13a of the curtain and that the bights in the securing member hereafter to be described may be passed through slits in the cloth or other material in the curtain in the areas of the bights.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 2a and 2b it will be seen that the elongated tubular member 17 may be made of relatively light material such as thin wall steel tubing. The member may be a tube on the order of onehalf inch in diameter.

At the left-hand end there is a closure or plug member 18 and at the right-hand end there is a similar closure or plug member 19.

A spring 23 has one hook end 21 secured over a pin 22 in the plug member 18. In similar manner the hook end 24 of a spring 26 is secured over another pin 27 carried in the plug 19. Spring 23 is provided with an inner hook member 28 and'spring 26 is provided with an inner hook member 29.

A pulley 31 is rotatably mounted on a pintle 32, the pintle being mounted in a U-shaped frame member 33. The frame member 33 is connected by a hook 34 to the hook 28 of spring 23.

In similar fashion a pulley 36 is mounted on a pintle 37 in a U-shaped frame member 38. The member 38 is mounted by a hook 39 to the hook 29 of spring 26.

Secured to pintles 41 and 42, respectively, carried by the U-shaped housing members 33 and 38 are the ends of a first flexible member 44 such as a small diameter rope. The flexible member 44 exits through grommets 46 and 47 in the side walls of the member 17 thereby to provide a bight or loop 48 which is outside of the tubular member and which may be pulled with the hand for a purpose to appear.

A second flexible rope member indicated generally by the numeral 49 is reeved over the pulleys 31 and 36 as shown in the drawings. A plurality of bights are provided in the run 49a of the member 49 extending between the pulleys. In FIGS. 2a, 2b and 3 I illustrate the same as being provided with four of said bights numbered 51. As shown, these bights 51 pass through suitable anti-chaffing grommets 52, located in suitable openings in the side wall of the member 17.

The ends 49b and 490 of the second flexible member 49 pass through suitable grommets 53 in the side walls of the member 17. In order to prevent the ends from being pulled into the tube some stop means such as a clamp-on member 54 in each end is provided.

From what has been described it will be seen that with a curtain 13 having the unit 17 sewn in a pocket at its free end I have provided a simple, easy to operate and positive means for securing that end of the curtain to the hook members 16 or the like. Thus, with the parts in the position of FIGS. 2a and 2b, when it is desired to provide slack in the bights 51 to permit them to be placed over the hooks 16, the bight 48 of the first flexible member is grasped in the hand and pulled outwardly. This pulls the pulleys 31 and 36 toward each other, against the force of the respective springs 23 and 26. This puts slack in the second flexible member 49, permitting the bights S1 to be pulled outwardly and placed over the hooks 16 as shown in FIG. 1. Upon releasing the bight 48 springs 23 and 26 move the pulleys away from each other, thus tightening the bights 51, securing the free end of the curtain or the like to the hook 16.

From the foregoing it will be seen that l have devised an improved and practical means which may be easily associated with the free edge or side of a curtain to hold it in place. My invention is practical and simple of construction and is fully effective to hold curtains and the like against blowing outwardly by wind and to prevent rain from entering between them and the side walls of a vehicle or the like. It will be noted that by suitably adjusting the position of the stops 54 on the exposed outer ends of the member 49, the amount of spring tension applied to the bights 51 may be adjusted.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

, What I claim is:

1. In a holddown for securing an edge of a curtain and the like to a supporting member,

a. an elongated hollow tube-like member adapted to be carried adjacent the edge of the curtain to be secured,

b. a flexible member in the hollow tube-like member having at least one bight therein lying outside the tubular member and adapted to be placed over a hook or the like carried by the supporting member,

c. said flexible member being reeved over pulley-like members located inside the tubular mmember adjacent each end thereof and having its free ends prising a second flexible member having a bight therein lying outside the tubular member and with its ends operatively connected to the mounting means for said pulley-like members, whereby upon a increasing the length of said second named bight said pulleys move toward each other, putting slack in said first named flexible member, permitting the V I bight therein to be incrased in length'for placing over said hook or the like.

* i k l 

1. In a holddown for securing an edge of a curtain and the like to a supporting member, a. an elongated hollow tube-like member adapted to be carried adjacent the edge of the curtain to be secured, b. a flexible member in the hollow tube-like member having at least one bight therein lying outside the tubular member and adapted to be placed over a hook or the like carried by the supporting member, c. said flexible member being reeved over pulley-like members located inside the tubular mmember adjacent each end thereof and having its free ends passing through the tubular member and secured against moving into the tubular member, and d. means resiliently mounting the pulley-like members inside the elongated hollow tube-like member for movement toward each other, said means comprising a second flexible member having a bight therein lying outside the tubular member and with its ends operatively connected to the mounting means for said pulley-like members, whereby upon increasing the length of said second named bight said pulleys move toward each other, putting slack in said first named flexible member, permitting the bight therein to be incrased in length for placing over said hook or the like. 